Iowa fans got something to cheer about in January after a disappointing winter without a bowl game. Cedar Falls junior Ross Pierschbacher, one of the top offensive linemen in the country, verbally committed to the Hawkeyes on Saturday.

Pierschbacher, who made the announcement public on Twitter, said the response has been immediate.

“It’s been pretty crazy,” Pierschbacher said. “My phone is blowing up. People are happy for me and Hawkeye fans are coming out and showing their support.”

Pierschbacher, a Hawkeye fan himself, said he understands the excitement after the 4-8 season.

“Anything looking up for the program is a big deal for fans,” Pierschbacher said. “They want to get back on track, and I want to be a big part of that.”

Pierschbacher picked Iowa over Notre Dame, but had also received offers from Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Iowa State, Boise State and interest from Alabama, Stanford and Oregon.

The Cedar Falls junior said the recent news about Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, who interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, cemented his decision.

Ferentz and Coach Reese Morgan were also in Cedar Falls on Friday to help Pierschbacher over the hump.

“I felt really comfortable with it,” Pierschbacher said. “The stability of the program. I feel good about Iowa. You can’t go wrong with an offensive lineman going to Iowa.”

The 6-foot-5, 270-pound junior has been a lineman all his career and has looked up to Iowa linemen. He remembers meeting Robert Gallery when he was young and getting his autograph. The recent success of Bryan Bulaga, Riley Reiff and Brandon Scherff provided the groundwork for his career.

“I’ll start at guard, but left tackle is in my future,” Pierschbacher said. “I’ll play left tackle down the road at Iowa.”

That’s a road that has typically led to the NFL.

“I want to be next in the line of those guys,” he said.

Pierschbacher is believed to be the first verbal commitment in the 2014 Class. A four-star prospect with both Scout.com and Rivals.com, he’s a big one.